Quebec's wind energy industry welcomes move towards new energy policy

MONTRÉAL, Nov. 10, 2014 /CNW/ - The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) welcomes the initiative that the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Pierre Arcand, announced today to develop a new energy policy in Quebec.

CanWEA is prepared to work with the Quebec government, industry and the new wind energy task force, to review and strengthen Quebec's wind energy policy.

"There are many challenges that will need to be overcome in energy," said Jean-François Nolet, Vice President, Policy and Government Affairs at CanWEA. "We must find a balance between developing the energy sources we need to support economic development, the costs of these projects and protecting the environment, while maintaining strong partnerships with host communities. We are convinced that wind energy can help play an important role in reaching these goals."

It is important to remember that the wind energy industry employs 5,000 people in Quebec and has generated nearly $10 billion worth in investments over the past 10 years. CanWEA believes that wind energy can and should play a key role in Quebec's next energy policy, which will guide energy decisions for the coming decade.

Quebec is in a good position to create a long-term vision for energy that will prioritize renewable energy and draw on development and technological innovation to develop home-grown Quebec expertise. This is the type of vision we need to attract investment, create jobs and acquire new sources of power generation at competitive prices.

"Today, Quebec is a leader in energy thanks to the government's vision, whether during the development of large hydroelectric projects or the very first wind projects. We must continue down this path and remain at the forefront by reaffirming our leadership in this area," said Jean-François Nolet.

About CanWEA CanWEA is the voice of Quebec and Canada's wind energy industry, actively promoting the responsible and sustainable growth of wind energy. A national non-profit association, CanWEA serves as Canada's leading source of credible information about wind energy and its social, economic and environmental benefits. Join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and join the conversation at windfacts.ca/.